Dr. Truby King
SIR,—In a recent number of your journal there was a reference to the work of the late Dr. Truby King. It was stated that Dr. King, like Madame Montessori, began his work in the field of the mentally abnormal. Actually this is not quite accurate. Dr. King was the superintendent of a large mental hospital in New Zealand, but his interest in infant-feeding was unconnected with his professional work. It dated from seeing some sickly calves which had been fed on separated milk. Dr. King was on holiday; he bought the calves, worked out a way of supplementing poor milk, and from this went on to infant-feeding.
Through his work I believe that the infant death-rate in New Zealand became the lowest in the world: Nevertheless he would wish his name to be remembered mainly as an advocate of breast-feeding. I was in close touch with the first baby to be brought up on humanised milk, and for this reason I venture to send this note.—Yours truly,
43 Commercial Road, Parkstone, Dorset.
HAZEL BUCKLAND.
Previous page
